At a glance
- Met Police Federation has accused commissioner Sir Mark Rowley of issuing a “thinly veiled threat” after proposing a voluntary exit scheme for senior officers who are “not up for the challenge” of his reforms.
- Union leaders say the plan sends a “chilling message” to long-serving officers, warning it could pressure them out of the force under the guise of improving performance.
- It comes amid wider upheaval in the Met, following a damning racism review and the removal of more than 1,400 staff since 2022 as part of Sir Mark’s drive to clean up the force.
The Metropolitan Police Federation has accused commissioner Sir Mark Rowley of making a “thinly veiled threat” over jobs after he reportedly launched a voluntary exit pay-off for senior ranks.
The i Paper reported the plan was suggested in a letter from Sir Mark to officers between the ranks of chief inspector and chief superintendent earlier this week.
Sir Mark said in the letter that he wanted to provide an “exit route” for senior staff who are “not up for the challenge” of his planned overhaul of Britain’s largest police force, the newspaper reported.
The move drew criticism from the federation, which represents the Met’s rank and file.
Matt Cane, general secretary of the MPF, said: “The overwhelming majority of our members at chief inspector rank give everything they have, often at considerable personal cost, to meet the growing and complex demands placed upon them.
“They deserve support and respect, not threats of ‘forced distribution’, ‘performance processes’, or ‘dignified exits’.
“The proposed voluntary exit scheme, framed as a ‘quick and dignified route out’, is a thinly veiled threat.”
He added: “It sends a chilling message to dedicated professionals that, after years of loyal service, their futures may be decided not by performance, but by whether they conform to an increasingly narrow definition of what senior leadership ‘should look like’.
“The MPF will not stand by while our members are pressured or coerced out of the organisation under the guise of ‘efficiency’ or ‘high standards’.
“I will be writing to the commissioner over coming days to express our serious concerns.”
The Metropolitan Police has been approached for comment.
Earlier this week, a review of anti-black racism within the force warned that discrimination is “baked” into the HR systems of the Met.
The probe concluded that the Met’s systems, leadership, governance and culture are producing racial harm.
Last month, the Met confirmed it had removed more than 1,400 officers and staff from its ranks in three years in an “Al Capone” approach to uncover wrongdoing.
The clearout, sparked in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving officer, is the largest in the force’s history.
Figures show that 1,442 staff and officers were sacked, or resigned or retired between 2022 and June 2025.
Sir Mark warned at the time that there are “toxic or corrupt networks or cliques” that might be resistant to change in the force.
